Mostly Working, Always Traveling.

Beauty Empties [01] | Winter 2018

I have got a full bin so it is that time again, trash diving! Otherwise known as finally throwing away some of the empty junk I have been accumulating on top of my dresser. While I have been a skincare addict for years, I have only begun to accumulate my garbage recently because empties are some of my favorite blog posts to read!

Most of this will likely be skincare, along with some body & hair products I have used recently. I am including house scents because candles are just another hopeless addiction of mine.

Another product I extremely did not like, though I can admit my feeling are a bit irrational towards it. It is a mediocre cleanser that does not do a great job at actually cleansing, but it’s is not drying or harmful. The cult classic just did not live up to the hype so I have been disappointed.

The scent is just too much, way too much. I did experience some dryness when I was using this during the review, however it got worse. I had serious dry patches along my chin that became excessively sensitive, eventually I retired this cleanser for body use only.

Origins Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay

Definitely Repurchase

I have loved every Origins product I have ever tried, this one is no different. I got this deluxe sample with my Sephora Reward Points, it is the best clay mask I have ever used! It is non-drying & soothing while still cleaning out my pores. This mask definitely comes with a higher price tag, but it is not such an obscene amount that I would be unwilling to purchase a full-size.

First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream

Will Not Repurchase

I received this deluxe sample size as part of a gift set. I have actually liked everything I have tried from this set & this is a nice moisturizer, but it can feel thick & heavy. There were other moisturizers in the set I liked better that I finished long before this one, which were nice as well though I am unlikely to repurchase.

Balea Enzyme Peeling

Definitely Repurchase

This is one of my Holy Grails! It is a German drugstore mask, one of the most effective forms of AHA I have ever tried. My skin feels softer & appears brighter, all my subsequent skincare absorbs effortlessly after using this mask. This is one of the few products I recommend to absolutely everyone, no matter their skin type.

This essence was a nice step of light hydration in my routine, but my dry & dehydrated skin needs more substantial moisture. The ingredient list is fantastic & I had a hard time finally getting my hands on this because it is such a cult favorite, but I did not have any noticeable results with it.

Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum

Will Not Repruchase

This is a 15% L-AA derivative. I did not experience any skin irritation so this may be an ideal option for sensitive skin or beginners to vitamin c serums, however I noticed the least difference in my skin when using this serum in comparison to all other Vitamin C serums I have used over the years. I still hate the new packaging & this is the redesigned bottle after all the issues with the initial release, it was particularly messy with this serum. I get that Drunk Elephant is trying to maintain the aesthetics, but I would much rather a cosmetic that is less of a pain to use.

Drunk Elephant TLC Framboos Glycolic Night Serum

Will Not Repurchase

This is my favorite cosmetic from this brand, objectively I enjoyed this serum & I think it is a great product in its own right. However, this is not a unique product & it is grotesquely overpriced.

I rated this lowly for a number of reasons, but one of the stronger points of contention was the burning sensation I experienced with my skin. I still had the Seoul Ceuticals serum so I began using this Purito serum on my chest & hands. I began experiencing skin irritation & hives on my chest, which leads me to believe the formula of this serum is even less stable than I initially speculated.

I did not like this when I did the aloe gel comparison & my thoughts haven’t changed much since this. It smells heavily like antisceptic & alcohol, I did not find this moisturizing so I ended up using this entire tube on my legs.

Kind Natured Body Wash – Soothing Sea Salt & Bergamot

Definitely Repurchase

I absolutely love this stuff, I stock up whenever I am near a Boots Pharmacy. It is a sulfate-free body wash at an affordable price, plus this scent combination is absolutely divine!

Le Petit Maseillais Déodorant Extra Doux – White Peach

Might Repurchase

If you are a weary traveller unsure what to purchase as you browse the drugstore shelves after you realized you left behind some necessities at your last hostel, this deoderant is a great option! Many of the scents from this brand tend to be very floral & perfumey, but this one smells almost like natural peach. It does keep sweaty pits at bay, but it is not as strong as I would like it to be.

Exfoliating Bath Clothes

Will Repurchase

One of the reasons I like to purchase from Jolse is seems to always be an included freebie. I have extremely dry & flaky skin so I always these on hand, it is my favorite form of manual exfoliation on the body & it is less wasteful than a salt or sugar scrub.

Hair Care

Batiste Dry Shampoo – Original

Might Repurchase

I think anyone that has gone down the dry shampoo rabbit hole has tried this product at some point, this was my first time because I ordinarily buy the Floral & Flirty Blush scent.

Matrix Biolage Exquisite Oil Micro-Oil Shampoo

Will Not Repurchase

My mum bought this for me as part of my Christmas present last year. It does contain sulfates, but I actually enjoyed this shampoo. The ingredient list contains quite a few oils, which interact well with my curly hair & helped to keep frizz at bay. I just have other, sulfate-free shampoos I like better at a cheaper price.

Kind Natured Kids Apple Smoothie Gentle Care 2-in-1 Shampoo

Will Not Repurchase

It has been a long time since I have hated a shampoo this greatly. The fragrance has an artificial chemical scent to it, which is disappointing because I ordinarily love apple scents. I follow the Curly Girl Method for hair care so I do not use shampoo with sulfates so I am used to cleansing products that do not lather, but this shampoo does not cleanse well.

Makeup

Wet N Wild Photofocus Foundation – Nude Ivory

Will Not Repurchase

There was a time when everyone raved about this drugstore foundation. This brand is not easy to obtain in France, but I was determined to get my hands on it so I placed a special order for it. Ordinarily I love Wet N Wild product, this has been my biggest disappointment from them. It emphasizes my pores, makes my fine lines look dry & more pronounced. It did not sit well on my dry skin at all.

Wet N Wild Photofocus Lash Primer

Definitely Repurchase

This is a white based primer that helped my long, straight lashes hold curl for longer & appear more full.

Essence Make Me Brow – 02 Browny Brows

Repruchase

This is the best drugstore eyebrow gel I have found so far. It is so difficult to find a cool toned brown brow product at Sephora, yet this gel is a perfect match for my hair! It adds so much volume to my grows that I don’t need to fill in my brows with a pencil beforehand if I wear lighter makeup. I wish it held my brows in place for longer, I would say this holds my brows in place for 3 – 4 hours.

Origins Ginzing Brightening Mascara

Will Not Repurchase

I received this as a freebie in a Black Friday sale order. It burned my eyes & this formula flaked horribly all over my face, I looked like I was constantly crying black tears.

Nyx Voluptuous Lush Lashes Mascara

Will Not Repurchase

The brush applicator is larger than my eye so it was difficult to use this. The heavy formula weighed my lashes down, I could not get my lashes to hold a curl any time I used this mascara. My lashes did look longer & I did not experience any clumping, but it did not add any volume.

Innisfree Skinny Microcara Mascara – Waterproof

Will Not Repurchase

The original formula is one of my favorite for lower lashes, but it was out of stock when I was placing an online order so I decided to get the waterproof version. Bad choice. The original version is fantastic, it does not smudge or flake. However, the waterproof version does both of those things, ironically.

Scents

Bath & Body Works Candle – Black Cherry Merlot

Definitely Repurchase

This is one of my favorite winter scents! It is such a lovely warm, fruity candle. The scent palette is very bright, but there is still an undertone of musk to it. I consider this to have a moderate fragrance level so I do not think it would overpower a small space, but it is not a light or neutral scent either.

Bath & Body Works Candle – MangoDragonfruit

Definitely Repurchase

This might be my favorite candle scent from this brand! It smells incredibly fresh, the dragonfruit notes are definitely more present than the mango. It is strong enough to fill an open space, though the scent may be too much for a smaller room such as a bathroom.

Bath & Body Works Candle – Cinnamon

Might Repurchase

I did enjoy this scent, it is very warm & cozy. However, it is a very plain smell & there are other spiced candles I prefer to this one. This is a great option if your prefer a neutral, but warm scent. It is not overly strong so it would serve a small space nicely.

3 Comments

I am not surprised that the Origins Ginzing Mascara didn’t work out for you! What is a brightening mascara anyways? It all sounds very gimmicky. I like their Ginzing range but that’s skincare which is unrelated to makeup, surely? I agree though that their skincare is fab. I have heard positive things about the clay mask so that’s my next to-buy for skincare!

How is Jolse by the way? When I ordered some k-beauty items off eBay, the shop gave me some Jolse blotting sheets to try out, as well as a card directing me to Jolse. I also happen to be on their mail list now it seems, so I wonder if they are connected lol.

Empties posts are always some of my favorite to read, wish I had started doing them earlier!

I thought the Origins mascara was oddly named as well. I love all their skincare I have tried, but I have zero interest in their makeup & this did not convince me otherwise. I really cannot think of any brand where I love their makeup & skincare products?

I have been using Jolse for years! I did have a recent issue where I did not receive a package and they would not refund me, but they still have a great selection with free international shipping. I have never had an issue with customs either.